KR20110028141A - Liquid crystal display device and method for fabricating the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) device and a method for fabricating the same are provided to reduce a cell fabricating process time by arranging a dummy column spacer which perform a dam function at a region corresponding to a liquid injection region. CONSTITUTION: An LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) device comprises: an upper substrate(130) which is a color filter substrate; a lower substrate(100) which is an array substrate and bonded with the upper substrate, and has plural pads connecting an external circuit to the both outer portions adjoining the upper substrate; a seal pattern(113) which is placed at an edge portion between the upper and lower substrates and has a liquid crystal injection region(113a) through which liquid crystals are injected to the LCD device; and a liquid crystal layer which is injected through the liquid crystal injection region between the lower and upper substrates.

Description

Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof {LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device having a dummy column spacer for performing a dam function in a region corresponding to a liquid crystal injection region for injecting liquid crystal, and a manufacturing method thereof.

As the information society develops, the demand for display devices is increasing in various forms according to the display devices.In response to this, in recent years, liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display panel (PDP), electro luminescent display (ELD), and VFD have been developed. Various flat panel display devices such as (Vacuum Fluorescent Display) have been studied, and some of them are already used as display devices in various equipments.

Among them, LCD (hereinafter referred to as liquid crystal display device) is most commonly used as a substitute for a cathode ray tube for the use of a mobile image display device due to its excellent image quality, light weight, thinness, and low power consumption. In addition to the mobile use such as the monitor of the notebook computer, it is being developed in various ways such as a TV monitor.

The liquid crystal display device is composed of two substrates coupled to face each other and a liquid crystal material which is injected between the two substrates and generates a phase transition according to a change in temperature or a change in concentration.

The liquid crystal panel as described above is largely manufactured through an array process, a color filter process, and a liquid crystal cell process.

The array process is a process of forming a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode on the first substrate by repeating deposition, photolithography, etching, and the like.

In addition, in the color filter process, a black matrix is formed on the second substrate to prevent light leakage from a region other than the region where the pixel electrode is formed, and a red or green color is formed using a dye or a pigment. ) And a blue color filter, followed by forming an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) film for a common electrode.

The liquid crystal cell process maintains a constant cell gap between the first substrate and the second substrate by using a spacer, bonds both substrates using a seal material, and then cuts the plurality of unit liquid crystal panels into the unit liquid crystals. It is the process of injecting a liquid crystal into a panel and completing a liquid crystal cell.

A liquid crystal display device according to the related art manufactured through such a process will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display device according to the prior art, and is a schematic view showing a seal pattern formed on a lower substrate and a dam structure formed in a liquid crystal injection region of the seal pattern.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a liquid crystal display device according to the prior art, and illustrates a dam structure formed in a liquid crystal injection region of a seal pattern formed on a lower substrate.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2 and illustrates a dam structure formed in a liquid crystal injection region of a lower substrate of a liquid crystal display device according to the prior art.

The liquid crystal panel for a liquid crystal display device according to the prior art, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, and the upper substrate 30 which is a color filter substrate; The lower substrate 10, which is bonded to the upper substrate 30, is an array substrate on which a plurality of pads are connected to the upper substrate 30 and adjacent external circuits on both sides adjacent to the upper substrate 30, and the upper substrate ( A seal pattern 13 positioned at an edge portion between the lower substrate 10 and the lower substrate 10 and having a liquid crystal injection region 13a into which liquid crystal is injected; A liquid crystal layer (not shown) is injected between the lower substrate 10 and the upper substrate 30 through the liquid crystal injection region 13a.

Here, although not shown in the drawing, on the lower substrate 10, a plurality of gate lines arranged in one direction at regular intervals by an array process and a predetermined interval in a vertical direction by the respective gate lines. A plurality of data lines arranged with each other and a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode formed in the pixel region defined by the gate line and the data line are formed.

In addition, the seal pattern 13 formed on the outer portion of the lower substrate 10 has a predetermined spaced portion, in which the liquid crystal may be injected into the liquid crystal panel region 11 defined inside the seal pattern 13. The liquid crystal injection region 13a is provided so as to be provided.

A dam 15 is formed in the liquid crystal injection region 13a of the lower substrate 10 to evenly flow the liquid crystal.

On the other hand, although not shown in the drawing, on the upper substrate 30, which is a color filter substrate that is bonded to the lower substrate 10 by a predetermined distance, the light except for the region corresponding to the region where the pixel electrode (not shown) is formed. In order to prevent the leakage, a black matrix (not shown) is formed, and red, green, and blue color filters are formed in a region corresponding to the region where the pixel electrode (not shown) is formed. (Not shown), and a common electrode and an overcoat layer are sequentially stacked on the color filter.

Although not shown in the drawings, a plurality of column spacers are formed on the overcoat layer to maintain a constant cell gap between the lower substrate 10 and the upper substrate 30.

The liquid crystal display device according to the related art having the above configuration is manufactured through an array process, a color filter process, and a liquid crystal cell process, which will be briefly described as follows.

First, although not shown in the drawings, an array process is performed on each liquid crystal panel region 11 of the lower substrate 10, and a plurality of gate lines arranged in one direction with a predetermined interval, Thin film transistors and pixel electrodes are formed in the plurality of data lines arranged at regular intervals in the vertical direction and the pixel areas defined by the gate lines and the data lines, respectively.

Subsequently, after performing the array process, a seal material is applied to the outer portion of the liquid crystal panel region 11 provided in each unit liquid crystal panel of the lower substrate 10 to form a seal pattern 13. At this time, the seal pattern 13 is provided with a space portion spaced apart by a predetermined interval, which is used as a liquid crystal injection region 13a that serves as a passage for allowing the liquid crystal to be injected into the liquid crystal panel region 11.

Next, a seal material is applied to the liquid crystal injection region 13a of the liquid crystal panel region 11 provided in each unit liquid crystal panel to form dams 115 for the liquid crystal injection holes, respectively.

On the other hand, although not shown in the drawing, on the upper substrate 30, which is a color filter substrate that is bonded to the lower substrate 10 by a predetermined distance, the light except for the region corresponding to the region where the pixel electrode (not shown) is formed. In order to prevent this leakage, a black matrix (not shown) is formed.

Next, a color filter (not shown) forming one color of red, green, and blue is formed on the upper substrate 30 corresponding to the region where the pixel electrode (not shown) is formed. Next, on the plurality of color filters, a common electrode for driving a liquid crystal and an overcoat layer are sequentially stacked together with a pixel electrode.

Subsequently, although not shown in the drawings, a resin (not shown) for forming a column spacer is formed on the overcoat layer, and then the resin layer is selectively patterned through an exposure and development process using a photolithography process technology. A plurality of column spacers are formed.

As described above, the upper substrate 30 and the lower substrate 10 that have undergone the color filter process, the alignment process of the liquid crystal cell process, the column spacer forming process, and the like are bonded and cured to form a cell gap by the column spacer for each of the plurality of liquid crystal panel regions. This retained large area liquid crystal panel is formed.

Next, a cutting process of forming the large area liquid crystal panel into a plurality of unit liquid crystal panels is performed, and then a liquid crystal is injected into each unit liquid crystal panel having the liquid crystal injection region.

Subsequently, although not shown in the drawing, an encapsulant with an encapsulant applied thereto is pressed around the liquid crystal injection region of each unit liquid crystal panel to apply an encapsulant.

As described above, according to the liquid crystal display device and the manufacturing method according to the prior art has the following problems.

According to the prior art, there is a liquid crystal display device and a method of manufacturing the same, which have a dam design model for the liquid crystal injection hole among the liquid crystal injection models. In this case, although the seal pattern may be formed at one time to reduce the process time, the liquid crystal inlet dam must be formed for each liquid crystal cell separately from the seal pattern formation.

Therefore, the prior art requires a liquid crystal injection dam to be formed separately for each liquid crystal cell so that the process takes a little longer. In particular, in the case of a large-area liquid crystal cell, the seal material applying equipment consumes a lot of time to form the dam for the liquid crystal injection hole.

In order to solve the above problems of the prior art of the present invention, an object of the present invention is to place a dummy column spacer (column spacer) to perform the same function as the dam at a position corresponding to the liquid crystal injection region of the cell It is to provide a liquid crystal display device and a method of manufacturing the same that can reduce the manufacturing process time.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising: a first substrate having a plurality of liquid crystal panel regions; A seal pattern formed outside the liquid crystal panel region and having a liquid crystal injection region; A second substrate spaced apart from and bonded to the first substrate; A plurality of column spacers formed on the second substrate and including dummy column spacers formed at positions corresponding to the liquid crystal injection regions of the first substrate; And a liquid crystal layer injected between the first substrate and the second substrate.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device, comprising: providing a first substrate and a second substrate having a plurality of liquid crystal panel regions; Forming a seal pattern having a liquid crystal injection region outside the liquid crystal panel region of the first substrate; Forming a plurality of column spacers on the second substrate including dummy column spacers disposed at positions corresponding to the liquid crystal injection region of the first substrate; Bonding the first substrate and the second substrate apart from each other; And forming a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate.

According to the liquid crystal display device and the manufacturing method according to the present invention has the following effects.

The liquid crystal display device and the method of manufacturing the same according to the present invention can reduce the process time required during the formation of a seal pattern during the entire cell process of a model in which a dam is applied to the liquid crystal injection hole. In particular, in the case of the model applying the dam to the existing liquid crystal injection hole, the dam of each model is formed in the seal pattern forming process of the cell pre-process, in the case of the dam of the liquid crystal injection hole is not formed at the same time with the seal pattern Therefore, the time required for dam formation increases because each panel must be formed separately.

Accordingly, in the present invention, a column spacer for forming a dam pattern, which takes much time in the entire cell process, is formed only at the time of forming the seal pattern without forming the seal pattern, and performs the same function as the dam. By forming together with the column spacer formed in the to form a separate time, the time required for forming a separate dam is omitted, thereby reducing the process time required for the entire cell process.

Hereinafter, a liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method thereof according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a seal pattern formed on a lower substrate and a column spacer formed on a bottom surface of a color filter substrate corresponding to a liquid crystal injection region of the seal pattern.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a liquid crystal display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in which a column spacer is disposed in a liquid crystal injection region provided in a center portion of a seal pattern formed on a lower substrate.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5 and illustrates a state in which a column spacer formed on the color filter substrate of the liquid crystal display according to the present invention is disposed in the liquid crystal injection region.

Liquid crystal panel for a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, as shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, the upper substrate 130 which is a color filter substrate; The lower substrate 100, which is bonded to the upper substrate 130, is an array substrate having a plurality of pads connecting external circuits, which are not shown, to adjacent outer sides of the upper substrate 130, and the upper substrate ( 130 and a seal pattern 113 positioned on the edge portion between the lower substrate 100 and the liquid crystal injection region 113a into which liquid crystal is injected; A liquid crystal layer (not shown) is injected between the lower substrate 100 and the upper substrate 130 through the liquid crystal injection region 113a.

Here, although not shown in the drawing, on the lower substrate 100, a plurality of gate lines arranged in one direction at regular intervals by an array process and a predetermined interval in a vertical direction by the respective gate lines. A plurality of data lines arranged with each other and a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode formed in the pixel region defined by the gate line and the data line are formed.

In addition, the seal pattern 113 formed at the outer portion of the lower substrate 100, that is, the edge portion, may include a screen printing method, a dispenser method, and the like. Since the contact film is in contact with the substrate, the alignment film or the like formed on the substrate may be damaged. If the substrate is large in area, the amount of loss of the sealing material is large, which is uneconomical, and thus the dispenser method is preferable. However, the method of forming the seal pattern 113 is not limited to the dispenser method, and other methods may be used as necessary.

In addition, the seal pattern 113 formed at the outer portion of the lower substrate 100 has a predetermined spacing, and the liquid crystal may be injected into the liquid crystal panel region 110 defined inside the seal pattern 113. The liquid crystal injection region 113a is provided.

On the other hand, although not shown in the drawing, on the upper substrate 130, which is a color filter substrate bonded to the lower substrate 100 by being spaced apart at a predetermined interval, light in an area except for an area corresponding to an area where the pixel electrode (not shown) is formed. In order to prevent the leakage, a black matrix (not shown) is formed, and red, green, and blue color filters are formed in a region corresponding to the region where the pixel electrode (not shown) is formed. (Not shown), and a common electrode and an overcoat layer are sequentially stacked on the color filter. In this case, the common electrode may be formed on the lower substrate according to the liquid crystal driving method, and the overcoat layer may not be formed as necessary.

Although not shown in the drawings, a plurality of column spacers are formed on the overcoat layer to maintain a constant cell gap between the lower substrate 110 and the upper substrate 130. 4 to 6, a portion of the plurality of column spacers, that is, column spacers (not shown) may include a black matrix region, an area corresponding to the thin film transistor region of the lower substrate 110, and a data line region. The upper substrate 130 may be selectively formed in a corresponding region or an area corresponding to the gate line region.

In addition, a dummy column spacer 135 having a dam function, which is one of the plurality of column spacers, is formed on a portion of the upper substrate 130 which is a region corresponding to the liquid crystal injection region 113a provided in the seal pattern 113. It is. In this case, the width of the dummy column spacer 135 is formed to be smaller than the width of the liquid crystal injection region 113a, and is located at the center of the liquid crystal injection region 113a and has a space where liquid crystal can be injected into both sides thereof. Is formed. In addition, the dummy column spacer 135 having the dam function may be formed to have the same height as the seal pattern 113 to uniformly flow the liquid crystal and to maintain the cell gap of the liquid crystal injection region 113a. do. In addition, although the dummy column spacer 135 uses a circular or bar type dummy column spacer, it is possible to evenly flow the liquid crystal through the liquid crystal injection region 113a and to maintain a cell gap. Other types of column spacers can be used.

Meanwhile, a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B.

7A and 7B are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, in which a column spacer is disposed in a liquid crystal injection region provided in a seal pattern when the lower substrate and the color filter substrate are bonded together. It is process sectional drawing which shows the state to become.

First, a lower substrate 100 having a plurality of liquid crystal panel regions 110 is prepared.

Next, although not shown in the drawing, a plurality of gate lines arranged in one direction with a predetermined interval by performing an array process on each liquid crystal panel region 110 of the lower substrate 100, and the respective gate lines Thin film transistors and pixel electrodes are formed in the plurality of data lines arranged at regular intervals in a direction perpendicular to the direction and in the pixel areas defined by the gate lines and the data lines.

Subsequently, referring to FIG. 7A, after performing the array process, a seal material is applied to the outer portion of the liquid crystal panel region 110 of the lower substrate 100 to form a seal pattern 113. In this case, the seal material coating method may include a screen printing method and a dispenser method. However, the screen printing method may damage the alignment layer formed on the substrate because the screen contacts the substrate. When the large area is increased, the amount of loss of the sealing material is large, which is uneconomical, and thus the dispenser method is preferable. That is, the seal pattern 113 is formed by applying a seal material to the outer portion of the liquid crystal panel region 110 on the lower substrate 100 using a seal material dispenser (not shown). At this time, the seal pattern 113 is provided with a space portion spaced apart by a predetermined interval, which is used as a liquid crystal injection region 113a that serves as a passage for allowing the liquid crystal to be injected into the liquid crystal panel region 110.

On the other hand, although not shown in the drawing, on the upper substrate 130, which is a color filter substrate that is bonded to the lower substrate 10 by a predetermined distance, the light except for the region corresponding to the region where the pixel electrode (not shown) is formed. In order to prevent this leakage, a black matrix (not shown) is formed.

Next, a color filter (not shown) forming one color of red, green, and blue is formed on the upper substrate 130 corresponding to the region where the pixel electrode (not shown) is formed. Next, on the plurality of color filters, a common electrode for driving a liquid crystal and an overcoat layer are sequentially stacked together with a pixel electrode. In this case, the common electrode may be formed on the lower substrate according to the liquid crystal driving method, and the overcoat layer may not be formed as necessary. Therefore, although the embodiments in the case of forming the common electrode and the overcoat layer have been described herein, the present invention is not limited thereto.

Subsequently, although not shown in the drawing, after applying a dye or resin pigment (not shown) for forming a column spacer on the overcoat layer, the resin layer is selectively selected through an exposure and development process using a photolithography process technology. Patterning to form a plurality of column spacers. In this case, a portion of the plurality of column spacers, that is, column spacers (not shown), correspond to the black matrix region, the region corresponding to the thin film transistor region of the lower substrate 110, the region corresponding to the data line region, or the gate line region. It is selectively formed on the upper substrate 130 which is a region.

The dummy column spacer 135 having a dam function, which is one of the plurality of column spacers, is formed on the upper substrate 130, which is a region corresponding to the liquid crystal injection region 113a provided in the seal pattern 113. In this case, the width of the dummy column spacer 135 is formed to be smaller than the width of the liquid crystal injection region 113a, and is formed at the center of the liquid crystal injection region 113a to form a space where liquid crystal can be injected into both sides thereof. do. In addition, the dummy column spacer 135 having the dam function may be formed to have the same height as the seal pattern 113 to uniformly flow the liquid crystal and to maintain the cell gap of the liquid crystal injection region 113a. do. In addition, the dummy column spacer 135 may be a circular or bar type column spacer, but may be used to uniformly flow the liquid crystal through the liquid crystal injection region 113a and maintain a cell gap. Form column spacers can also be used.

As described above, the upper substrate 130 and the lower substrate 100 that have undergone the color filter process, the alignment process of the liquid crystal cell process, the column spacer forming process, and the like are bonded and cured to form a cell gap for each liquid crystal panel region. This retained large area liquid crystal panel is formed.

Next, a cutting process of forming the large area liquid crystal panel into a plurality of unit liquid crystal panels is performed, and then a liquid crystal is injected into each unit liquid crystal panel having the liquid crystal injection region.

Subsequently, although not shown in the drawing, an encapsulant with an encapsulant applied thereto is pressed around the liquid crystal injection region of each unit liquid crystal panel to apply an encapsulant.

As described above, the liquid crystal display device and the method of manufacturing the same according to the present invention, when forming the column spacer on the upper substrate instead of forming the dam during the cell pre-process of the model of applying the dam to the liquid crystal injection hole By forming a column spacer for dam function on the upper substrate corresponding to the dam formation region, the process time required for forming the seal pattern can be reduced. In particular, in the case of a model that applies a dam to the liquid crystal injection hole, the dams of each model are formed in the seal pattern forming process of the entire cell process. In the case of the dam of the liquid crystal injection hole, the dams are not formed at once with the seal pattern. Since each panel must be formed separately, the time required for dam formation is increased.

Therefore, in the present invention, a column spacer for forming a seal pattern first without forming a dam formation, which takes a long process time in the entire cell process, when forming a seal pattern, and performing a function similar to a dam, is a color filter substrate. By forming together the column spacers formed on the phase, the time required for forming a separate dam is omitted, thereby reducing the process time required for the entire cell process.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom.

Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, but various modifications and improvements of those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention as defined in the following claims are also within the scope of the present invention.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display device according to the prior art, and is a schematic view showing a seal pattern formed on a lower substrate and a dam structure formed in a liquid crystal injection region of the seal pattern.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a liquid crystal display device according to the prior art, and illustrates a dam structure formed in a liquid crystal injection region of a seal pattern formed on a lower substrate.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2 and illustrates a dam structure formed in a liquid crystal injection region of a lower substrate of a liquid crystal display device according to the prior art.

4 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a seal pattern formed on a lower substrate and a column spacer formed on a bottom surface of a color filter substrate corresponding to a liquid crystal injection region of the seal pattern.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a liquid crystal display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in which a column spacer is disposed in a liquid crystal injection region provided in a center portion of a seal pattern formed on a lower substrate.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5 and illustrates a state in which a column spacer formed on the color filter substrate of the liquid crystal display according to the present invention is disposed in the liquid crystal injection region.

7A and 7B are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, in which a column spacer is disposed in a liquid crystal injection region provided in a seal pattern when the lower substrate and the color filter substrate are bonded together. It is process sectional drawing which shows the state to become.

*** Description of the main parts of the drawing ***

100: lower substrate 110: liquid crystal panel region

113: seal pattern 113a: liquid crystal injection region

130: upper substrate 135: dummy column spacer

Claims (12)

A first substrate having a plurality of liquid crystal panel regions; A seal pattern formed outside the liquid crystal panel region and having a liquid crystal injection region; A second substrate spaced apart from and bonded to the first substrate; A plurality of column spacers formed on the second substrate and including dummy column spacers formed at positions corresponding to the liquid crystal injection regions of the first substrate; And And a liquid crystal layer injected between the first substrate and the second substrate. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein the dummy column spacer has a width smaller than a width of the liquid crystal injection region. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein the dummy column spacer has a circular shape or a bar shape. The liquid crystal display device of claim 1, wherein the dummy column spacer is formed of a material different from that of the seal pattern. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein the dummy column spacer and the plurality of column spacers are formed at the same time. The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate includes a plurality of gate lines, data lines, thin film transistors, and pixel electrodes that cross each other perpendicularly, and the second substrate includes a black matrix and a color filter. Liquid crystal display device. Providing a first substrate and a second substrate having a plurality of liquid crystal panel regions; Forming a seal pattern having a liquid crystal injection region outside the liquid crystal panel region of the first substrate; Forming a plurality of column spacers on the second substrate including dummy column spacers disposed at positions corresponding to the liquid crystal injection region of the first substrate; Bonding the first substrate and the second substrate apart from each other; And And forming a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate. The method of claim 7, wherein the dummy column spacer is formed to have a width smaller than the width of the liquid crystal injection region. The method of claim 7, wherein the dummy column spacer has a circular shape or a bar shape. The method of claim 7, wherein the dummy column spacer is formed of a material different from that of the seal pattern. The method of claim 7, wherein the dummy column spacer and the column spacer are formed at the same time. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising forming a plurality of gate lines, data lines, thin film transistors, and pixel electrodes that cross each other perpendicularly to the first substrate, and forming a black matrix and a color filter on the second substrate. Liquid crystal display device manufacturing method characterized in that.

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